Refrigerators are used in numerous settings, such as in a commercial setting or in a domestic setting. Typically, refrigerators are used to store and maintain food products by providing a cooled environment into which the products can be stored. Refrigeration systems typically include a refrigerated cabinet into which the food products are placed and a refrigeration assembly for cooling the air and products in the refrigerated cabinet. The refrigeration assembly often includes an evaporator assembly and a condenser assembly, each forming a portion of a refrigerant loop or circuit. A refrigerant is used to carry heat from air within the refrigerated cabinet to the ambient environment surrounding the refrigerated cabinet. The refrigerant absorbs heat in the evaporator assembly and then rejects the absorbed heat in the condenser assembly.
The refrigerator may also include a heat source located within the door as well as around the door frame in order to substantially prevent condensation from forming due to humid or moisture rich surrounding air. If the refrigerator includes a glass door, then a heat source may also be placed within the glass door to prevent condensation from obstructing viewing through the glass pane. Moreover, sometimes frost or condensate may accumulate on evaporator coils of the evaporator assembly, which decreases the efficiency of the refrigeration assembly. Defrosting cycles are typically utilized to remove the condensate from the evaporator coils. Once condensate has been removed from the evaporator, the condensate may be transferred to a condensate pan where it may accumulate. It is beneficial for the refrigeration unit to consume as little energy as possible, especially since it may be important for the refrigeration unit to meet federally mandated energy consumption limits or obtain specific types of energy certifications for maximum daily energy consumption. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a control system and method for reducing the energy consumed by the refrigeration unit.